Telescopic gun for aircraft personnel catapult and other uses



Aug. 1, 1950 c. w. MUSSER 2,516,902

TELESCOPIC GUN FOR AIRCRAFT PERSONNEL CATAPULT AND OTHER USES Filed Jan. 10, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINVENTOR. l3- WALTON MIJSSEH- @awjhwwm ATTORNEYS- Aug. 1, 1950 c. w. MussER 2,516,902

TELESCOPIC GUN FOR AIRCRAFT PERSONNEL CATAPULT AND OTHER USES Filed Jan. 10, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 TIIIIL V\\\\\\\\\\\\Y III/III.

/ TI g- INVENTOR.

E3- WALTON MUSSTIH- ATTEIRNEYE- Aug. 1, 1950 Filed Jan. 10, 1947 C. W. MUSSER TELESCOPIC GUN FOR AIRCRAFT PERSONNEL CATAPULT AND OTHER USES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 3o 29 as 56 43 INVENTOR 5'6 55 6+ +6 49 [3-WALTnN MUSSER...

s7 57 BY 1 EL "5 zyj wl aflfl/ d flm ATTORNEYS Aug. 1, 1950 CATAPULT AND OTHER USES Filed Jan. 10, 1947 50 FIELD.

.4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .57 INVENTOR.

l3. WALTON Musszn- ATTDRNEYEI- Patented Aug. 1, 1950 SOFiFlCE .TELESCOIIG GI-IN FOEWAIRCRAFT .PER- SONN'ELICATARULT A'NDTOTHE'RUSES .;C arence Wa'lton Musser, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application January. 10, 1947,.l'Sterial'No."721;.329

"ll-Claims.

,(lfiranted understhe. m .of .:March 3, .1883, as

1 amended April .30, Bhe invention :described in the following specifica tion and claims may bemaunfactured and used by-or for'theGuvernment for governmental purposes without the payment to :me of .:.an y a oya lty thereon. This-invention relates to a prime mover, .vmotor or gun in-which anexplosion moves a pistomal'ong 'a cylinder .eonsisting of two ion-more "telescoping tubes. This telescopic arrangement enables 'the 'motor-tooccupy a small space v/henrin discoll-ap'sed position, but to apply the force .of:he explosion to the piston over a relatively flung path of travel when the cylinder tubes areain extended position. "This long path of travelzper- -niits the attainment -of a, higher terminal velocity of the "piston with lessimpact or shock. time specific use to-which this motor has been *put is to power a catapult for-expelling personne1 from aircraft.

The enormous speed of present day aircraft, iparticularly those propelled by jet-or-rocket'engines, whichyspeeds "are approaching that of sound; renderfit exceedingly difficult forpersons ,ito leave or"bail. out'o'f an aircraft. "Notonly ;are "there gigantic forces to IWhiCh a; personleav Ling ,an aircraft at ihighwspeed is...silbjected, but Lthese 'iforces areso great and 'the speed of the iaircrflaitisso highLthat'itis di'fiicult, if not impossiblegiona persomby his own unaided efforts, to. avoid oriolear thetail or aiterestructure of ,.the aircraft.

Accordingly, it is an objectof this .inventionto ;;-provide a simple andefiicient prime mover, motor for; gun having a cylinder formed of a: plurality .of .linterfitting, telescoping .tubesand a piston .slidably,mountedtwithin the inmost of saidtubes ,so .that the motor occupiesta minimumsspace when not in .use, but applies a driving forceto .the :piston over a maximum !path of travel when the :tubular parts constituting the cylinder are extended.

@A .further object of this invention is to provide .;a "simple, light, practical, and efficient device izwhich mayxbe readily applied to. aircraft-of standardlconstruction land which is under the control to a-passenger in theaircraft so. that he can easily sand-safely escape fromwthe aircraiteven when vii is :traveling at an exceedin ly thigh 1 speed. L: i Further LObjCCtS :of i .the invention 7 .willhe zap- -parent from -the following detailed description .band the ;-aocompanying drawings, ill-which:

. tliig. l is a .side. elevationbroken away to dis- ;close the prime lmover mechanism.

.sllassengeris seat and thenmotor. mechanism. iconnecteclv-thereto.

Fig. .3 is a transverse, substantially vertical cross section 1onl1ine 3-13 of 2;;as viewedin 6 the flirectionof the arrows.

FigAxis aitopor plan=view ofthemotonmechaansm.

dis .a side. elevation of the motor. mecharnism; in.:;c.losed ;.position.

Fig. 6 is atransverse cross section on line-6&6 :01 ,Eig. @5.

llig. 7 =is a longitudinal "cross section-of -the :motor.

fi 'ig. 7A -is-a longitudinalcross section-ofthe :or upper-end -o'f the-motor on'anenlarged --'-sca e.

Fig-8 is -a perspective-view of thesear.

fFig. 9--is a= top or plan view of the compression --r-1ng.

- Figs-104s a-longitud-inal cross-section similarto Fig. '7 with parts broken away'transverselyand showing-the =motor intermediate its :closed "and "extended positions.

,iFig. 1*1 isadongitudinal cross section similar "to Figs? and '10 withparts'broken away transversely and showing-the'motor in extended position with thepiston expelled from the cylinder.

jOne embodiment ofthe prime mover, motor, or gm of this invention is',clis'closed'herein asiQrm- 80 ing the engine or driving means of an aircrait personnel oatapult, butjiit V will. be readily undereaDPIied to, manyiother .uses.

'iEig: 1 shows an alircrafttkhaving a rcanqp vnr other cockpit honsinaCoverlying thencock pitor mart of theifuselagegnormallyl' Qccupiedby the .passenger .in the aircraft. ..In .this =,cocl pit..is i10- seated seat i5ion.whichtthelaviatorrsits and which shasrrotatahly mounted on .it guide wheels A6 which travel along .rails. ll. .formingz-a ,fixed part iof thefiaircraftfuselage. .iIThe aviatoris seatfll'i is normallyat restin. the cockpit andtthe aviator thermallysits on-1-its with his Parachute? formii-ngda seatwcushion. at its. -.npper endfieat 27'5 =,ca-rries :a; 1bnacke.t is having -,tuhularg -portiops through-which passes za -pin {ls-which; als passes wthroughaan. .opening in the .Trshanetd Jheadm p-blook zfl. -A-.co,tterazpin 2| als ipassesothroggh :block 2 B ;:and zis connected to a (the. zcanopyaprlhy umeansqof 11a .wire 12-2 or thedike. ,1 A sear, reenerally indicated Z3eand x1iso1osed in; (greater detail :in :Eigii, @iszrotata lymounted {mimeti randohas eonnecteduto it a; lanyard 124 whieh is 2: isia RHEIIIEBHYB YIBW.CQ thesbackoftthe u trained about the fuselageiofotheaircratt: sathat telescoping cylinder.

:tion' of the two 1 surfaces. mediate tube 45 which is furthest from block 20 -rests against the flat side of shear pin ring 45. Ring49 hastwo-diametrically opposite holes in it 5 seat has been completely catapulted from the its opposite or free end is convenient to the hand H of the aviator.

Fig. 7A shows the block in greater detail. There is a cavity in the vertical stem of the block 23 in which cavity is located a firing pin spring 25 which abuts at its upper end against the closed end of cavity '25 and which abuts at its lower end against firing pin 21. Firing pin 21 has a hole 28 located diagonally in it and adapted to normally receive cotter pin 2i therethrough. An open-ended slot 29 extends axially of firing pin 27 and terminates at its inner end in a cylindrical opening 33.

Fig. 8 shows that sear 23 is of generally L-sha-pe, having a hole 3i in one arm by means of which hole 3! the lanyard 24 is attached to the sear 23. The other arm of seat '23 is of generally circular shape in transverse cross section and has, intermediate its ends, a portion 33 of reduced diameter having arcuate ends 34 and flat sides 35. The diameterof the arcuate ends. 34 fits rotatably in the cylindrical opening 33. The distance between the fiat sides 35 is equal to the width of the slot 29 so that the firing pin 21 is locked in position with the spring 25 compressed when the portion 33v extends crosswise of the cylindrical opening 30, but the firing pin 21 is free to slide longitudinally when the flat sides 35 of the reduced portion of sear 23 engage with the flat :jsides cf the slot 23 in the firing pin 27.

Block 20 has, at its lower end, an enlarged flanged portion 36 having on its inner surface screw threads 31. At the inner end or shoulder ;o f flanged portion 36 is located compression ring 38 which is split rather than of complete ring shape and which has undulations in it when Viewed in side elevation (as in Fig. 7A). A cartridge case-33 is located in flanged portion 36 so that its rim abuts against the inner side of, flanged portion 36 and the under side of itsoutside tube 50.

: piston '40jintermediate tube 45 and outside tube 50) has at its upper 'end screw threads which mate with the screw'threads 31 on flanged portion 36; 'At its opposite end piston 40 has a slightly reduced outer diameter and has a pair of dia- 'metricall opposite holes in it through which,

' inner diameter of the intermediate tube 45 which forms one part of the illustrated three-member The outer surface of in- -termediate tube 45 is of two diameters, the

- 'smaller diametered portion -46 extending over the greater portion of its length and the-larger diametered portion 41 extending over a smaller portion-of its outer surface adjacent one end thereof. A shoulder 48- is formed at the junc- That end of inter- The outerlq 4 in which the ends of the shear pin 43 are located. Ring 49 has, in its inner surface, radially extending recesses 58 which underlie the end of intermediate tube 45 when that tube 45 is in collapsed or closed position.

Outside tube-5fi has an internal diameter of suitable size so that the large diametered portion of intermediate tube 45 slides axially in The upper end of outside tube 50 carries on its outer side screw threads 5| which engage with screw threads on the ringshaped flange 52 which has a pair of axially protrudin trunnions 53 thereon. Trunnions 53 are received in holes in a mounting 54 forming part of the fuselage of the aircraft. At its lower or opposite end from block 20, outside tube 50 has screw threads 55 on its outer side. Screw threads 55 mate with screw threads on the inner surface of flange 55 projecting from the rim of cap 51 which seals the lower end of the motor and'forms the end of the cylinder composed of the two telescopically sliding tubes 45 and 50.

The operation of the prime mover, motor or gun of this invention, as applied to furnish the motive power for expelling a passenger and his seat from an aircraft, is as follows. When the aviator wishes to leave the aircraft he detaches the canopy C from the aircraft A by disengaging the fastenings between them. These fastenings are not shown since they are of a conven- -tional type. Because the aircraft is travelling at :a .high rate. of speed, the force of the slip stream of air over the aircraft tears the canopy -C. away and by means of wire 22 pulls cotter pin 2| out of block 20 thus arming the firing pin 21. In armed position'the firing pin 21 is restrained against the stress of spring 26 solely by .the engagement of the sides of cavity 30 with the arcuate ends 34 of the intermediate portion 33 of sear 23. The aviator can then, when he desires, pull the end of lanyard 24 with his hand H and thus rotate the sear 23 sothat its reduced portion 33 has the flat sides thereof aligned with the flat sides of slot 29. The expansive force of spring 26 then slides firing pin 21 along the flattened sides 35 of the reduced portion 33 of sear 23. This travel causes the projection 42 on the lower end of firing pin 21 to enter the hole in primer '4! and to ignite the primer so that the explosive charge contained within cartridge case 39 is ignited and explodes. The explosive force of the charge contained within fthe cartridge case 39 causes pin 43 to shear thereby freeing the tubular piston so that "the tubular piston 43 travels upward. As the end of tubular piston 40 emerges from shear pin ring 49, the explosive gases from the charge enter the recesses 58 in the'ring 49 and thus contact with the lower end of inside tube 45.

*This causes intermediate tube to travel up- -ward guided in outside tube 50. This extension of intermediate tube 45 in outside tube continues untilshoulder 48 engages with the overlying end of the ring-shaped flange 52. This engagement prevents further projection of tube '45-out past the open breech end of tube 50.

As'the extension of the tubes takes place, and e the seat structure to which they are secured is thereby ejected from the aircraft, there normally will be a tendency for the terrific wind pressure to" force the tubes toward the rear of the aircraft and thereby bend, if not break the tubes. If this development is not guarded against the tubes could very easily jam together before the 5 "However, the novel pivotal mounting of the-"gun barrels in the aircraft "fuselage (see gives" my novel 'device positive assurance againstthis sort of failure. By that pivotal connection the tubes or gun barrels are perf tted to "swing forward into the place-vacated b he'pilot'seat upon ejection of theseat from e ii-craft, thereby enabling the inner tubes e'iiid thepistonattached to the back of the seat be 'fu lly extendedalong a perfectly straight math 't oug'hout the entire ejection. By thus maintaining-alignment of the tubes with one anethen andtheir spaced relationship from the seat duringtheir ejection, the danger of the 'tubes jamming as above described is completely e'limi the butenwall'of tube 45's smaller diametered p'oi't'ion lli when'that portion of tube 45 is exaeuaea past 'the fiange. It will be noted from the drawing's, particularlyFig. '7, that a major Fpoi tionbf the outer wall'surface of piston 40 is bearingcontact with the "inner Wall surface f the -intermedia'te tube "45. 'By such bearing isurfacecontacts the *gases'set'up by ignition of tlie 'charge in cartridge case '39 are prevented from leaking pastthe interfaces of outside tube dlyand intermediate tube 45-or past the interraees cr tube'45 and 'piston' lfl, thereby mainttaining the "maximum possible pressure developed bythe explosive charge until piston M 'Wli chis -free to travel along the inner surface I termediatetubelfiyis expelled (under force the exploded charge) from the cylinder firmed of the'telescopingtubes 45 and 5ii concentric therewith. The reasons why the describedbearing surface contacts act as a "gas Tseal' -'afeIat-leasttwofold: one is that'the rather long areas'of close contact between the sliding 'tubes minimizes opportunity for gas leakage therebetween; the other-is that the same long areasof'contacti plus the further aid of contact by flang'e fil serve to maintain the extendedpor- --tlon= 46 of tubevlfi in alignment with the supviper-ting tube 1 50, minimizing relative =wobbling of the extended tube and thereby minimizing 'opi'gportunity for gases to leak past the interfaces ci the two tubes 45' and 50.

. oBy the -means 'just described full benefit of atheggasw'pressure developed by explosion ofthe azpcwder charge is obtained in extending intermlediatetube 45 its maximum permissible length of -travel (until prevented by shoulder =48 from iefiiorgingrentirely from within tube 50). Likewisemthe maximum possiblegas pressure is exerted lupon the freely movable tubular piston M0, and since'this piston 40 is attached at its upperlend to seatlbby means of bracket l8 the we pemn'g in mes-fuselage from' which thei canopy C has been 'removed. The force imparted by the explosion to tubular piston 40 and the parts-carried thereby is suificient to expel the aviator, his seat 15 -=an'd 'his parachute along the path indicated in Fig. l--by the dashed line T. Thus it will be seen that the aviator is thrown entirely clear of the tail structure of the aircraft A and thus-escapes any damage which'would be sustained by a collision with any part of theaircraft.

, Summary From the foregoing, "it will be :apparent that this invention'provides 'ajprime imover, motor orgun in -which a, pistonis slidably mounted n 11a cylinder having .two or more telescoping parts. .This prime mover, motor or gun is admirably adapted to furnish the motive power fori'acatapultlfor expelling a passenger ifrom'an aircraft safelyreven at high speed.

.I claim:

1...An aircraft personnel catapult, including, a :support for a passenger in saidaircraft 'an elongated projectile .pivotallysecured to said support, an inner gun barrel slidably surrounding said projectile and having a transversely enlarged portion at its'endfurthest from said support, an outer gun barrel :slidably surround- .ing said inner gun barrel and :having 'a closed breech at its end furthest from said support and having a transverselyreduced portion arrangedforengagement with the enlarged portion of tsaidfiinner. gunkbarrel when said barrels arein axially extended position, trunanions on said outer gun barrel pivotally supporting said gun barrels .inLsaid' aircraft so' as to aid in'maintaining alignment of the barrels -when axially extended, and an explosive charge vcontained within :said gun barrels and adapted, .upon explosion, to imove said gun barrels into axially extended interengaging'position and to expel said projectile from said-gun barrelsand to carry away the support attached to said pro- :jectile soasto lift the'passenger carried by said "support safely out of "an aircraft even when traveling :at an exceedingly -high i speed.

2. A motive power devicaforaircraft personnel catapults, said device including in combination with said aircraft, a seat structure normally mounted on said aircraft, a plurality of gastight, axially slidable, concentric gun barrels each of which is in bearing relationship tothe other, an elongated member "slidablrmounted pistonwise in the innermost'of said gun barrels and-connected to said seat structure, a pivotal support mounting the outermost of'sai'd gun barrels in said aircraft adjacent said seating -'stru'cture to maintain alignment 'of the *concentric gun barrels'with'one another and'their spaced relationship from the seat during-ejection of the seat-from the aircrLftpand a "firingpin manually operable to explodeanexplosive charge -co1itainedwitliin the space enclosedby saidgun barrels and by said me1nber,-said charge'being arranged tofurnish a force propelling said member out Of "said gun barrels upon explosion of said charge.

3. An explosion-powered catapult for eject- :ing safely 'from an'aircraft a passenger travelling therein, including in combination with sai'd aircraft: "a seat structure normally mounted'rln said aircraft a plurality of axially slidable, inseparable, extensible 'gun barrels concentrically aligned in bearing relationShiptoeach other; a ipivotalizsupp'ort mounting ithe outermcst et said gun barrelsinsaid aircraft adjacent said seating structure to ,maintain alignment of the concentric gun barrels with one another and their spaced relationship from the seat during ejection of the seat from the aircraft; a cylindrically shaped, projectile axially slidable and expellable from the innermost of said gun bar- .rels and connected to said seat structure, said gun barrels and said projectile defining between them a space which is substantially gas-tight until said projectile emerges from said gun barrel; a firing pin movable into engagement with .an explosive cartridge located in said space to ignite it; and a lanyard having one end connected to control said firing pin and trained- .about said aircraft so that its opposite end is convenient to..the grasp of a passenger in said aircraft. t H

14. An escape device for an aircraft, including in combination with said aircraft, a personnel .in the inner of said barrels and defining therewith an explosion-proof chamber-enclosing casing, and a cartridge of explosive located in said ,chamber and arranged, upon explosion, to expel said projectile from said gun barrels, whereupon the said personnel seat connected to the projectile is expelled from the aircraft.

5. A fiying machine having a passenger seat detachably connected therewith and a seat-expelling device acting to remove the seat from .the flying machine, including in combination .with said machine, impact-expelled means ex- ;tending transversely of the machine behind said seat and in contact with the back thereof and "secured to the back of the seat when the seat is iin normal position, explosion-confining means surrounding said impact-expelled means in operative position and secured pivotally to said .machine to maintain alignment of said first and second mentioned means with one another during ejection of the seat from the aircraft, :and explosion-furnishin means located between said first mentioned means and said second :.mentioned means and adapted to separate said first mentioned means and said second mentioned means upon the explosion of said last mentioned means.

' 6. Means providing for the escape of a passenger from an aircraft, including, an aircraft fuselage having a compartment formed therein, ,a seat structure normally mounted in said compartment, guides providing for the expelling movement of said seat structure from said fuselage, an elongated member connected to said seat structure, a pair of axially slidable gun barrels slidably surrounding said member in normal position, a pivotal support mounting the outer of said gun barrels in said fuselage adjacent said seating structure to maintain alignment of the gun barrels with one another and their spaced relationship from the seat structure during ejection of the seat from said fuselage, and an explosive charge located between said :gun barrels and said member and arranged, upon explosion, to furnish an explosive force 3. ejecting ...saic1 member from said. sun barrels iii) '7. Inan aircraft, a fuselage, a seat member 'removably mounted therein, an elongated pistonconnectedto said seat member, a pair of relatively-slidable mutually-inseparable cylinder members normally surrounding said piston, a pivotal support mounting the outer of said cylinder members in said fuselage adjacent said seat to maintain alignment of the concentric gun barrels with one another and their spaced relationship from the seat during ejection of the seat from the aircraft, and a firing device for igniting a charge of explosive located be: tween said cylinder members and said piston and adapted, whenexploded, to drive said piston out of said cylinder membersr 8. Apparatus for safe escape from an. aircraft, including in combination with said aircraft, a seat normally mounted within said aircraft, an elongated piston connected to said seat, a cylinder formed of two axially-slidable tubular portions having inter-engaging stops thereon limiting the separating longitudinalmovement thereof so that sufficient lengths of the outer walls of the piston and inner tubular portion are retained in bearing surface contact with the inner walls of the tubular portions next in line toward the outside thereof so as adequately to prevent relative wobbling of the extended tubular portions and piston and concomitant leakage of gases between the interfaces of the two tubular portions with each other and of the piston with the inner tubular portion, a pivotal support mounting the outer tubular portion of said cylinder in said aircraft adjacent said seat 2 to maintain alignment of the concentric gun barrels with one another andtheir spaced relationship from the seat during ejection of the seat from the aircraft, a sear for detonating a charge located between said piston and said cylinder to furnish an eruptive blast to expel said piston and inner tubular portion from the outer tubular portion, and a safety normally holding said sear against operative movement. I

9. In a catapult providing an escape means for a passenger from an aircraft having a cockpit, tracks extending into said cockpit, a chair slidable on said tracks, a rodlike piston connected to said chair, a cylinder formed of telescoping sections pivotally connected to said aircraft to maintain alignment of the concentric sections with one another during axial extension thereof, said piston being slidableinsaid cylinder, a gas-pressure-producing cartridge located between said piston and said cylinder for ejecting said piston from said cylinder upon explosion of said cartridge, and a manually op- .erable firing device arranged to detonate said cartridge.

10. In a gunlike motive power device, an outer tubular gun barrel having a closed end, an inner tubular gun barrel slidably mounted in-said vouter barrel, and a ring located between the closed end of said outer barrel and the adjacent end of said inner barrel, said ring having radially 5 extending recesses in its inner rim, said recesses support mounting the outermost of said tubes in said aircraft adjacent said seat .to maintain alignment of the concentric gun barrels with one anotherand theirspaced relationship from the seat during ejection of the seat from the aircraft, and an explosive charge located in said tubes and arranged to furnish the propellant force required to propel all of said tubes except the outermost along with said seat and person- 5 nel thereon out of said aircraft.

CLARENCE WALTON MUSSER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Tucker Oct. 9, 1888 15 Number Number Number Name Date Burgess June 5, 1906 Davis Aug. 25, 1914 Guichard Apr. 3, 1917 Gray Dec. 9, 1919 Bird July 4, 1933 Curriston Oct. 12, 1943 Lobelle Jan. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Feb. 20, 1928 France Nov. 14, 1931 Switzerland Mar. 2, 1936 

